Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the budget the whole country is still talking about some months after it was delivered. The Treasurer was talking about it yesterday as well. He said that, if we on this side of the House and those on our side in the other place continued to block the nasty measures, there were alternatives he could take. I assume that these will be alternatives that were not talked about before the election, much like the budget we have in front of us was not talked about before the election.

Today, I rise to say that we have seen some of the recommendations from the Commission of Audit and we want to know which of those are in and which of those are out. Are the government going to slow down the rollout of the NDIS? This is a question that is hot in my electorate. Are they going to increase the GP tax to $15 rather than the $7 that is on the table now? That question is hot in my electorate too. Are they going to abolish family tax benefit part B, as the Commission of Audit suggested? That question is hot in my electorate. Are they going to reduce the staffing size of Defence headquarters in Canberra? That question is certainly very hot in Canberra. Or will they rule out the rolled gold PPL, save themselves some money and deliver a fairer budget?